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Crawford Flint


Alan Reynolds of Fegime UK with Lighting module


New products There was much discussion about which product areas to cover in the training, with the Programme expanding to include new topics such as Renewables, IT and Data Infrastructure, and Fire Safety and Security. Each module is a stand-alone training course, 10 of which cover one specific product group, but that didn’t quite work for Lighting as Working Group Chair Alan Reynolds FInstSMM, CEO at Fegime UK, explains,


“Lighting is a huge subject, vast. It was clear immediately that we needed two different modules: Lighting (Introduction) and Lighting (Systems and Controls),” says Alan. “Our first task was to scope the Lighting


Paul Jenner


of the learning experience was crucial. Each textbook is peppered with tips to help you succeed such as ‘jargon busting’, ‘test your knowledge’ and ‘go the extra mile’ activities.


Driving company performance Paul Jenner, COO at the IBA buying group, chaired the Industrial Controls Working Group and comments: “The difference between successful companies and those that fall by the wayside is the quality of the staff. “Of particular importance in electrical wholesaling is ensuring that all customer-facing staff have a basic understanding of the products they sell. The Product Knowledge Programme aims to do precisely that.” Chair of the Wiring Devices and Controls


Working Group, Crawford Flint, Head of Learning & Development at Rexel UK, adds: “I was honoured to be asked by the EDA to chair a Working Group. Having studied a similar programme myself some 30 years ago, I know how important they can be in the development of people working in our industry.”


30 | electrical wholesalerFebruary 2019


(Introduction) module and to make it accessible for someone with little or no knowledge about the subject. That’s quite a challenge when you have a room full of highly qualified lighting experts, all of whom know their subject inside out! “Lighting (Introduction) provides base


knowledge about colour temperature, lumens, lux, legacy lamp cap types and so on, and then on to the newer technology of LED. “The second lighting module – Lighting


(Systems and Controls) – is more technical, and I hope that those who complete both will think about moving on to one of the LIA Training Academy courses in lighting design.”


Career Path “Looking back over the work we did to develop the lighting modules, I am really proud to have been involved,” says Alan, “Lighting really is a fast-changing market, probably the fastest changing of all product sectors, hence the need to keep up-to-date with technology. “Cameron Steel, our lead author for our first Lighting module, has been working in the sector since 1982 and the combined expertise of the manufacturers in the Working Group means the training you’re getting through these EDA Modules is just fantastic.


Margaret Fitzsimons “They are ideal for anyone on the first rung of


the career ladder: they will inspire confidence in product features and benefits, to help you better understand the needs of your customers, and to create up-selling opportunities. “It is important that we, as a sector, offer people a career path and lighting is one product sector where through hard work, a willingness to learn, good application and the right attitude, the sky really is the limit. I hope that both new and longer-serving employees will benefit from the training offered by these EDA Modules.”


eda.org.uk


EDA Programme Fact File


●Each Module is a two-part stand-alone distance-learning course, comprising a hard copy textbook and an electronically fillable End of Module Assessment (EMA);


●You can achieve a Pass, Merit or Distinction in your EMA;


●You choose which modules to study and in which order. It’s completely flexible;


●You have 10 weeks to work through a textbook and complete the EMA.


Choose from: 1. Introduction to the Principles of Electricity 2. Lighting Introduction 3. Lighting Systems and Controls 4. Wiring Devices and Controls 5. Fire, Safety and Security Systems 6. Renewables 7. Industrial Controls 8. Heating and Ventilation 9. Cables and Cable Management 10. Customer Service 11. Heating and Ventilation 12. IT and Data Infrastructure


ewnews.co.uk


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